Life-saving apparatus.



J. C. COX & L. ARNOLD. LIFE SAVING APPARATUS.

'APPLIGATION FILED JUNE 13,1912.

Petented Feb.17,1914.

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J. C. COX L. ARNOLD;

LIFE SAVING APPARATUS. APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 13,1912.

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Patented Feb. 17, 1914.

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J. o. 00X & L. ARNOLD. LIFE SAVING APPARATUS. l APPLICATION FILED JUNE 13,1912. v

1,087,352. Patented Feb. 17

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COLUMBIA PLANQGRAPH co1. WASHINGTON. D. cA

JOHN C. COX AND LOWRY ARNOLD, 0F ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

LIFE-SAVING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 17, V1914.

Application led June 13, 1912. Serial N o. 703,530.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that we, JOHN C. Cox and Lownr ARNOLD, citizens of the United States, residing at Atlanta, Fulton county, State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life- Saving Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to life saving ap paratus and more particularly to an equipment sui-table for an ocean going vessel. The draw-back to the carrying of a great number of life boats to accommodate the passengers of a large liner is to a great eX- tent due to a lack of space.

It is one of the objects of this invention to provide additional equipment for a vessel of dependable life saving appliances, such as rafts and the like which may be readily stored in a small space when not needed and which will be immediately available in cases of emergency. y

Another object is to provide a mechanism controllable from any of several convenient positions by means of which the life saving devices may be promptly brought into condition for service.

Another object is to provide a simple and compact life raftconstruction adapted to use under .such conditions as above described.

lWith the foregoing and other objects in view the novel features of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a cross section of a ship showing the improved life saving apparatus applied thereto, for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the invention, a compartment containing life saving appliances is shown closed and another is shown open Vand the rafts in the latter are being discharged therefrom. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of a closed compartment and mechanism for discharging the rafts therefrom. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the air-operated raft discharging mechanism, parts thereof being broken away. Fig. 4 is a def tail view of the releasable connection between a raft and the plunger for moving the same. Fig, 5 is a plan view of one of the rafts, parts thereof being broken away to show the interior construction. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a raft. Fig. 7 is a cross section along the line 7-7 of Fig. 5 showing more in det-ail the connection of the individual cells of the raft to the central supply duct running longitudinally of the raft. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view of a modified form of compartment. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a part of the side of a ship having such a compartment as shown in Fig. 8, the door of the compartment being swung open and some of the rafts discharged. Fig. 10 shows a side view of a vessel having compartments therein, the trap doors closing the compartments being open and the rafts discharged therefrom simultaneously. Fig, 11 is a vertical cross section of one of the compartments showing the position of the raft on the inclined floor l therein. Fig. 12 is a view along line 12-12 of Fig. 11 lookingin the direction of the arrow, showing the arrangement of the hose and raft in the compartment.

Referring to thedrawings 10 designates t-he hull of a ship of any ordinary or preferred form and is sub-divided by a number of horizontal decks as is usual. The boiler,

Vengine and dynamo room is located on the lower deck 11, andon the same-deck there is also air-supplying means 12 which may be A an air compressor', a fan or the like. The compressor 12 is connected by pipes 13, 13 to air tanks 14, 14 located on the deck l1, or at any suitable place on the vessel. The air in the tanks 14, 14 is maintained at a predetermined pressure and automatic means are provided to connect the compresso-r to the said tank to supply air thereto when the pressure falls below a certain point. Branch air sup-ply pipes 15, 15 are connected to one or more common mains 16 having a valve 17therein. The valve 17 is operated by a hand wheel 18 connected to a stem 19 and gears 2O and 21. The hand wheel 18 may be place-fd at a position on the main deck, such as for instance on the bridge convenient to an officer in charge. The valvemay also be operated from any other suitable position or positions, such as for instance by means of a hand wheel 22 connected to the stem 19 on the deck 23.

The hold 10 has a plurality of watertight compartments 24 and 25 located above the water line in the sides thereof. lThe compartments 24 and 25 asshown in Fig. 1 are of course onlyrtwo of a number arranged along the sides of the ship. The compartments open outwardly overboard and are closed by the watertight trap doors 26 and 27 which are hinged at 28 and 29 to the ship at the bottom edge ot the respective compartments.

Each compartment is arranged to accommodate a plurality of life saving devices, such as the rafts lt, which are normally dev Hated so that a large number may be stored in each compartment. Each raft is con nected to the air supply and is provided with means for dropping the same overboard which will be hereinafter described. The compartments may be constructed in convenient parts of the boat so that the rafts may easily be gotten overboard and on account of the small space that is neces sary it is possible for a ship to carry enough rafts of this description to accommodate several thousand passengers without taking up any excess space on the ship. On account of differences in design ship builders will probably prefer to store the rafts in different places.

Each raft is preferably built on the general lines ot' a mattress, but is considerably larger and two or three feet thick when inflated. Referring to Fig. 5 the outer covering or casing 30 of the raft is made of heavy duck, oil-cloth, rubberized duck, or other suitable material, The interior of the casing is divided by heavy longitudinal pan titions 3l and heavy transverse partitions into a. number of independent chambers The chambers 33 are adapted to receive the inner cells or tubes 3st which are of heavy7 rubber, rubberized duck or other suitable air-tight material, Each cell is connected independently lto a main duct 35 running centrally through the casing 30. Each cell 3% is reinforced at its ends by thickening the material as at 3G. in internally and externally threaded nipple 37 is set in the central opening 38 in the reinforced section 36. The nipple 37 has a flange 39 at one end and is held in position in the opening 8S by means of a washer 40 and a loch nut al, thereby maintaining an air-tight connection of the nipple to the cell. A plurality ot valve connections are provided on the op posite sides of the main duct 35 in the casing to receive the nipples 37 on the cells 3l. An externally threaded nipple ll2 having a flange 48 is set in an opening all in the side of the wall of the duct 35 and is held in place by means of a washer a5 and a loch nut 46. Inside the nipple 42 and integral therewith near the outer end thereof there is a spider 47 which at its center lorms iper/,35a

end of the nipple 42 and a sott rubber gas het 53 is coniined between the nut Il@ and the inner end of the nipple 37 to torni an airtight connection. The adjustable nut 52 will allow the adjustment of the valve spring 51 and the pressure at which the valve opens may be varied.

@ne end of the central duct 35 extends through the outer wall of the casing` 30 and has4 a hnob or ball 5a on the end thereof which forms a part of a ball-andsocket joint to be described. rlhe outer casing has straps 55 riveted or sewed to the top and bottom thereof so that in case either side ot the raft falls there will be means to catch hold of the same. The sides of the rai-'t have ropes 5 attached thereto and other ropes 57 so that anyone in the water may be able to draw himself up to the raft or hang onto the same should the raft capsize. As shown in Fig. 6 the side walls of the raft have slits 58 therein which correspond to the center of the chamber 33 and are provided with lacing 59. The inner tube or cell 3a may be removed through a slit 58 when the cell has been punctured or is out of commission, and when another has been put in its place and screwed onto the nipple 42 connected to t-he duct 35 passing centrally through the raft, the slit may be laced up, Centrally in the outer end of the tube Se there is a release valve G0 which projects through the slit 58 and is for the purpose of releasing the air in any individual compartment when it is desired to renew the inner tube or deflate the rat't. It will be noticed that the raft being made in sections each chamber and cell is independent of the others and in case oit injury or tl e puncture of any cell the raft will still remain afloat, due to the buoyancy of the remaining cells.

In order to open the trap doors, inflate the rafts in the chambers and cast them overboard the following mechanism is provided: Two or more branch pipes Gl and G2, depending on the number of compartments, are connected to the main air supply pipe i6 and each terminates in a cross pipe G3, from each of which there is a connection (Sil to a plurality of cylinders G5, G51, G52, die, e541, c55, 65e, 657 and. 65s. rh@ cylinders all enter the compartment and correspond to the number of rafts there are in the compartment. From the branch pipe GQ, as shown in Fig. 2, there is also a connection 66 to the end of the cylinder G5. A hollow plunger 67 operates in the cylinder G5 and corresponding hollow plungers (ST1, G72, G73, 674, 675, 676, 677 and GTS op crate in the corresponding cylinders (351 to @58. Each ot the said plungers 67 to 678 has a slot (38 in its lower surface which at times registers with the opening into the connections 64:.

Depending from the outer end of each plunger there is a raft R which is connected thereto by means of a balland-socket joint S. The ball-and-socket joint comprises the socket nipple member 69 which is screwed into the end of each plunger 67 to 678. The outer end of the socket member 69 is of resilient material and is slitted to provide resilient tangs 70 to accommodate the ball 54 on the end of each duct 35. To provide an air-tight connection between the ball and socket a packing ring 71 is set in the ball 54. The ball 54 also has the check valve 72 which is seated against the seat 7 3 when the raft is released. A valve 74 when closed seats against the seat 74 in the socket member 69. The valve 74 has a stem 75 which extends downwardly and is guided by a spider 76 on the socket member 69. The lower end of the valve stem 75 has a plate 77 connected thereto which normally rests on the end of the ball 54 and holds the valve 74 from its seat. When the raft is inflated and the ball and socket members pushed apart the valve 74 will drop to its seat and close the opening 78 which it controls.

ln operation air having been admitted to branch pipe 62 the connection 66 which is permanently connected to cylinder and branch pipe 62, will admit air to cylinder 65 and force the hollow plunger 67 outwardly. As soon as the slot 68 in the hollow plunger 67 starts to pass over the connection 64 air will be conducted to the interior of the plunger 67 and inflate the raft connected thereto -at the outer end. A springressed stop pin 79, of which there are a plurality, engages through the cylinder wall into a recess 80 in the surface of the plunger to prevent the latter from being pushed out of the cylinder.

Connected with the cylinder 65 intermediate the ends thereof there is a pipe 81 which establishes communication between the cylinder 65 and the head end of cylinder 651 and similar pipes 811 to 817 establish communication in a similar manner between cylinders 651 to 658.

It will be noticed that there will be no transfer of air from cylinder 65 to cylinder 651 until the plunger 67 has reached the end of its stroke and the stop pin 79 en` gages in the recess 80. While the plunger 67 is moving outwardly the raft at the end of the same is inflated and then released. `When the end of the plunger reaches the limit of its stroke the end of pipe 81 connected to cylinder 65 will be exposed and air will be conducted to cylinder 651 from branch pipe 62 through the connection 66, cylinder 65 and pipe 81.

The plunger 671 is of the same length as the plunger 67, but the end thereof is disposed slightly back of the end of plunger 67 to allow for the thickness of a raft. The plunger 671 is hollow and has a raft depending from its end which is releasable therefrom and the plunger discharges the said raft all in the same manner as described for plunger 67. rThis applies also to plungers 672 to 678 each succeeding plunger operating when the preceding one reaches the end of its stroke and being set slightly back of the preceding one to accommodate the necessary number of rafts, thus one by one the plungers discharge the rafts from the compartment 25 and drop them overboard as is indicated in Fig. 1.

The operating mechanism for the doors is actuated at the same time that air is turned on at the valve 17. The latch 82 of the door is the end of the rod of piston 83 operating in air cylinder 84. The pipe 85 connected permanently to pipe 16 is connected at a point below the piston head 83 so that air entering the cylinder will immediately force the piston up and releasev the door 27. rlhe springs in the hinges 29 will immediately throw the door outwardly. However, if said springs fail. to act promptly the plunger 67 will force the door open.

Figs. 8 and 9 show a modified form which in some instances may be preferable as it may be desirable to dispense with mechanism which might fail to operate at the critical time on account of the fact that it remains idle so long and may become stuck.

The branch pipe 62 shown in Fig. 8 is in most respects similar to branch pipes 61 and 62 and is connected to the main 16. The branch pipe 62 terminates in the water-tight compartment 25 which in most respects is similar to compartments 24 and 25. The compartment 25 is closed by a water-tight door 86 hinged at 87. The door 86 is held closed by a latch 88 which is released by air supplied to the pipe 89 and cylinder 90 from the branch pipe 62.

The bottom 91 of the compartment 25 is inclined downwardly to the door so that the rafts when deflated or inflated will slide out by gravity and be automatically discharged therefrom without requiring the use of plungers or other pushing devices.

The end of the branch pipe 62 which terminates in the compartment 25 has a cross pipe 92 connected thereto which extends the length of the compartment and has a number of outlets 93. Each of the outlets 93 has connected thereto a flexible air hose 94, the end of which is connected to a raft and provided with a socket to receive the ball 54 on the end of the duct 35 of a raft as shown in Fig. 4. When the rafts are deflated the hose may be coiled to lie against the raft so they will not take up very much space, as is shown. When the air is admitted to pipe 62 the door latch will be released and the springs and hinges 87 will throw the door out. lf the door sticks the inflating rafts will force it out by expanding against the same. The rafts whether fully inflated or not will be forced out and by gravity will simultaneously slide overboard where if not already inflated they will be completely inflated through the hose connection 94 and then will be automatically released. lf a raft should fail to be released from a hose or if it should be impossible to` break the connection at the coupling7 the hose may be readily cut loose from the raft.

The operation of the form of invention shown in Figs. 1 to 7 will be briefly stated. Air being admitted to the-pipe 16 by the opening of valve 17 at the wheel 18 or elsewhere about the ship will admit air to both branches 61 and 62 and such other branches as are connected to the air supply. lllhe operation of the discharging mechanism connected to branch 61 is the same as that connected to branch 62 and the latter only will be described. Air from branch 62 will be admitted to cylinder 65 through the connection 66 and the plunger 67 will be forced outwardly carrying therewith the raft depending from the end thereof. ln the meantime air has also been admitted to the pipe 85 and the door latch 82 has been operated and the door has been opened. lvVhen the slot 68 in the hollow plunger 67 passes over the connection 64C air is admitted to inflate the raft at the end of the plunger and as soon as a. predetermined pressure in the same is reached the members 70 of the socket spread and release the ball therefrom dropping' the raft overboard. As soon as the plunger reaches the limit of its stroke which is determined by the stop pin 79 engaging in the recess 80, the end of the pipe 81 opening into cylinder 65 will be exposed and air will be conducted through said pipe to the next cylinder where the step will be repeated and so on until. the rafts are all discharged.

ln Figs. 8 and 9 air admitted to branch pipe G2 is conducted to cylinder 90 through pipe 89 and operates latch 88 to open the door 88.A At the same time the rafts in the compartment 25 are being inflated and as soon as the door is opened they will simultaneously slide down the inclined floor 91 and be discharged from the said compartment.

In Fig. 10 a series of small doors 8G are shown in the side of a ship. Each of these doors is hinged, opens outwardly and is of slightly greater dimensions than the end dimensions of a raft R in the compartment which the door closes.

The compartment has an inclined floor 91 slanting outward at an angle of about l5 degrees and which may be of polished material so that the raft will not stick. The instant the doors 8G are opened by operating mechanism similar to that in the other views, the raft It in each compartment will be dropped overboard by gravity. In this manner the large number of compartments in opposite sides of the vessel may discharge their contents into the sea simultaneously and within a very short time every raft on the ship can be put overboard. The compartments may accommodate one or more rafts apiece, and are arranged so as not to deface the side of the ship or may be arranged between the walls of the vessel thereby not taking up any space inwardly.

rlhe hose 98 connects each raft R to its air supply pipe 9s which latter is connected to a common branch 6s which is controlled from any suitable place aboard the vessel as heretofore described. The hose is laid in consecutiie layers as shown in Fig. 12 instead of being coiled as shown in Fig. 9. rlhere will then be no possibility of twists or kinks in the hose, which lis liable to happen when the raft having the coiled hose is discharged overboard. Air to o-perate the latch 88 working in cylinder 90 is supplied by pipe 89 connected to pipe 92. Therefore the doo-rs will drop immediately when the air supply is turned on and the rafts will discharge overboard simultaneously at all parts of the ship.

it will be seen that the invention provides a. simple and practical means of carrying adequate life preserving appliances for several thousand passengers without taking up any excess space on the ship. The rafts when deflated may readily be packed away in a Very small space and may be filled without any delay and promptly brought into service. Furthermore it will be impossible to sink rafts of the construction shown and there will be Very little danger of capsizing. Persons may also jump from the deck of the boat onto these rafts without danger of serions injury.

lt will be clear that numerous modications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and it is therefore not intended that the invention be limited to the exact details as shown and described.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. The combination with a ship provided with a compartment therein opening overboard, of a door normally closing the said compartment, life preserving means in said compartment, and fluid operated mechanism for opening said door and positively discharging the life preserving means from the compartment.

2. The combination with a ship having a normally closed compartment provided with a downwardly and outwardly inclined floor, of normally deflated life preserving means arranged in the compartment, fluid conducting means leading into the compartment and to which the life preserving means is releasably connected, and means for opening the compartment to permit the automatic discharge cf the life preserving means from the said compartment and for causing the release of said life preserving means from Y the fluid conducting means.

3. The combination with a ship having a compartment therein o-pening overboard, of inflatable life preserving means arranged in the compartment and remotely controllable means for inflating the life preserving means and Adischarging the same from the compartment.

4. The combination with a ship provided with a compartment therein opening overboard, of a water-tight door closing the compartment, inflatable normally deflated life rafts in the compartment, means connecting said rafts to a source of air under pressure, and means operable at will for inflating the rafts, opening the door and discharging the rafts from the compartment.

5. The combination with a ship provided with a compartment therein, of inflatable life rafts in the compartment, means releasably connecting said rafts to an air supply, and means to control the air supply to inflate the rafts and discharge the same from the compartment. Y

6. The combination with a ship provided with a plurality of compartments therein situated above the water line, of inflatable normally deflated life rafts in the compartments, means releasably connecting the rafts to an air supply, and means for controlling the air supply to inate the rafts and discharge the same overboard.

7. In a life raft, the combination with an outer casing, of a plurality of inner cells in said casing comprising separate air-tight chambers, a duct extending into the casing and adapted to be releasably connected to a source of air, each of said inner cells being connected to said duct, and a check valve in the connectio-n between each of said cells and the duct.

8. In a pneumatic life raft, the combination with an outer collapsible casing, of a plurality of independent collapsible cells arranged in the casing and constituting separate air-tight chambers, a duct extending into the casing, means for releasably con necting the duct to an air supply, means forconnecting each of the cells to the duct, and a check valve in the connect-ion between the cells and the duct.

9. In a pneumatic life raft, the combination with an outer collapsible casing, of a plurality of independent chambers therein, a collapsible cell in each chamber, an air supply duct extending into the casing, and

means for detachably connecting the cells to the duct.

10. 1n a pneumatic life raft, the combinacasing, and means for connecting the cells to the duct.

11. The combination with a marine vessel, of life saving devices arranged about the vessel and concealed from view, and fluid operated mechanism for mechanically andy positively unloading said devices into the sea.V

12. VThe combinationwith a ship, of a plu rality of compartments arranged in the hold thereof, life saving devices in the compartments, fluid operated means for opening the compartments and discharging the devices into the sea.

13. The combination with a ship, of a plurality of compartmentsl arranged in the hold thereof, an air supply pipe, a plurality of inflatable life rafts in each compartment releasably connected to said air supply pipe, and means for admitting air to the pipe to inflate the rafts and discharge the same from t-he compartments.

14C. The combination with a ship, of a compartment arranged therein, an air supply pipe entering said compartment, an inflatable raft connected to the pipe, means for admitting air to the pipe, and means for automatically releasing the raft from the pipe when the ra-ft has been inflated.

15. The combination with a ship, of a compartment arranged in the side thereof, an air supply pipe entering the compartment, an inflatable raft flexibly connected to the pipe, means for admitting air to the pipe and raft, and means for automatically releasing the raft from its flexible connection to the pipe when the raft has been inflated.

16. The combination with a ship, of compartments arranged in the hull thereof, air supply pipes entering the compartments, rafts connected to the air supply pipes, means for admitting air to the pipes and rafts, and means for discharging the rafts from the compartments and automatically releasing the rafts from the air supply pipes.

17. The combination with a ship, of compartments arranged in the hull thereof, doors normally closing the compartments, air supply pipes entering the compartments, pneumatic deflated rafts disposed in the compartments and connected to the pipes, means for admitting air to the pipes to simultaneously release the doors and discharge the rafts from the compartments.

18. rthe combination with a ship, of compartments arranged therein, air supply pipes entering the compartments, pneumatic deflated rafts in the compartments, means releasably connecting said rafts to the pipes comprising a socket and ball cooperating therewith, means for admitting air to the pipes to inflate the rafts and discharge them from the compartment.

19. The combination With a ship, of compartments arranged therein, air supply pipes entering` the compartments, pneumatic deflated rafts in the compartments, means releasably connecting said rafts to the pipes comprising a socket and ball coperating therewith, a valve in said ball and socket connection adapted to be closed on release of the raft, and means for admitting air to the pipes to simultaneously inflate the rafts and discharge them from the compartment.

20. The combination with a ship, of compartments therein, air supply pipes entering the compartments, normally deflated pneumatic life preserving devices in the compartments, means releasably connecting said devices to the pipes, means for admitting air to the pipes to inflate the normally deflated devices, and valves in said connecting means U adapted to close the pipe and the inflated devices to prevent the escape of air therefrom.

2l. The combination With a ship, of Watertight compartments therein, doors closing the compartments, normally deflated pneumatic rafts in the compartments, means releasably connecting said rafts to the pipes, means for admitting air to the pipes to inflate the rafts, open the doors and discharge them successively overboard, and means in said connecting means adapted to prevent the escape of air from said pipes and rafts when the latter are released from the pipe.

22. In a pneumatic raft, the combination With an outer casing, of a plurality of cells in said casing constituting separate airtight chambers, and a duct extending into said casing and communicating` with each cell, said duct being adapted to be connected to a sour-ce of air under pressure and auto matically releasable therefrom.

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures in presence of tivo Witnesses.

JOHN C. COX. LOlVR-Y ARNOLD. lVitnesses:

Gr. A.. K. STEVENS, SAML. LEONARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

